ANTI's Observations of the 2014 Commemoration of the Liquisa Massacre
Judging the victims who are searching for truth and justice

Experience from the commemorations of past years

Every year, the commemoration of this massacre involves a reflection and
the lighting of candles at the Liquisa Massacre Monument, near the
church. After lighting candles, Christians and victims' families alike
are usually invited to go to scatter flowers at Maubara Lake; the
location where, in 1999, many bodies were discarded. On occasion,
families have also just gathered together to scatter flowers from the
beach at Liquisa. This is done as a means of paying homage to those who
died or disappeared, and who don't have a grave or final resting place.
The movement for this commemoration has become popular in Liquisa, as
evidenced by the high levels of participation each year, particularly
among students whose schools actively engage with the commemoration.

ANTI received a number of complaints
from the families of victims because the organisers, in failing to pay homage to
the victims, they failed to dignify the victims' sacrifice. This is a direct
result the government deliberately not wanting to recognize the victims' status
as victims of crimes against humanity.

This year, the commemorations were dominated by a celebration of
heroism

At this year's commemoration, the Organising Commission, which organised
the exhumation of human remains, carried out a commemoration but failed
to give any consideration to the need to pay homage or even give
recognition to the place where more than 200 people were massacred.
After the church service, people were not invited to light candles, or
lay or scatter flowers in memory of the victims. Instead the Organising
Commission blended together the heroes and the victims' situation. As a
result, the recent commemoration, which focused on heroism, was a far
cry from recognising the reality of the victims.

ANTI received a number of complaints from the families of victims
because the organisers, in failing to pay homage to the victims, they
failed to dignify the victims' sacrifice. What ANTI observed is that
these complaints from the victims and their families are especially
pertinent and as a direct result the government deliberately not wanting
to recognise the victims' status as victims of crimes against humanity.
As such, ANTI considers this to be one means by which the Government is
judging the victims who are continuing to seek the truth and justice. If
the Government continues to abandon the victims in vulnerable
conditions, this is, in reality, a further re-victimisation of the
victims post-independence.

Recognition of heroes can be a fundamental part of strengthening the
State, building national identity and empowering the People. On the
other hand, reality demonstrates that victims also forcibly sacrificed
themselves for the freedom of Timor-Leste and in this way it is
similarly important that the State recognises the victims. Some people
may call this heroism and that the victims are also heroes. However,
total failure to recognise the victims' situation and their unique and
differing need for truth and justice does not empower them and it does
not strengthen the State. Rather, it only serves to minimise their
sacrifice and ongoing suffering which, in turn, re-victimises victims
and their families and ostracising them as people who only complain.
They continue to cry out for truth and justice because there hasn't been
any. Moreover, many are yet to receive recognition or be dignified by
the State since independence. Dignifying the victims of crimes against
humanity is fundamental to valuing a humanity that is genuinely equal,
and thereby allowing us to build a nation that is credible and just.

ETAN is "A voice of reason,
criticizing the administration's
reluctance to address ongoing
human rights violations and
escalating oppression in West
Papua and against religious
minorities throughout
Indonesia."